42 



MYA ARENARIA. 



Tab. IX, ^^.1. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Shell ovate ; beaks nearly central ; hinge with a 

 broad very prominent tooth, from which a small one 

 projects laterally ; epidermis pale brown, with hair 

 like lines and obsoletely radiated. 



SYNONYMES. 

 MyA ARENARIA, Lhl., M. ACUTA, M. MERCENA- 



RiA, Say, Journ, Jlcad. JYat, Sciences, vol. 2, p. 

 313. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Inhabits the whole Atlantic coast of the United 

 States, and is sold in the markets of New York and 

 Philadelphia. It is esteemed by many admirers of 

 shell fish more than the common clam, or Venus mer- 

 cenaria. 



This is a very common shell on the shores of 

 France, Great Britain and Norway ; on the New Jer- 

 sey coast, it barrows very deep in the sand near the 

 mouths of rivers and on the shores of the lagoons, 

 where it is deserted by the receding tide. It keeps 



